CRUISE NEWS

We want your cruise reviews!CruiseMates started publishing our readers' cruise reviews long before other web sites even thought of it. We already have thousands of reviews online, but there are never enough! CruiseMates and our sister site cruisereviews.com both want more of YOUR cruise reviews. So, please send them to us:

CruiseMates is the most useful cruise-review site.
We especially like its advice columns, which are
written for people of different ages and interests.

09.29.11

The new Tuscan Grille already open aboard Celebrity Constellation

Celebrity Solsticization

Celebrity Cruises has two main classes of vessels, the earlier Millennium-class introduced in 2000, and the newer Solstice-class (2008). The Solstice ships have received rave reviews as some of the most beautiful ships at sea. The only downside is they tend to overshadow the older Millennium-class ships.

Celebrity Cruises' answer to this is a $120-million upgrade project, dubbed "Solsticization," to bring Solstice-class enhancements to the older ships. It includes stateroom upgrades and the introduction of many popular public rooms found on the Solstice-class vessels.

We now have schedules for the Solsticization upgrades for all four Millennium-class ships; the first upgrade on Celebrity Constellation has already been completed. Celebrity Infinity will begin its Solsticization on December 3, 2011, Celebrity Summit will go into dry dock in January 2012, and we have just confirmed that Celebrity Millennium will be upgraded at the Grand Bahamas Shipyard between April 21 and May 12th of 2012.

Staterooms
The Millennium-class staterooms will be upgraded towards Solstice standards. They will receive flat panel televisions, Solstice-style bathrooms with extra room and storage and the famous "woman's touch" amenities such as a shower bar to aid in shaving legs. There will be new décor throughout with new fabrics, carpet, bedding and drapes. The penthouses and suites on all ships will be modernized with new furniture and finishes to lend them a "cleaner look."

Two ships, Infinity and Millennium, will also receive a number of AquaClass staterooms with access to the thermal suites in the ships' spa area. AquaClass residents will also dine in the new private restaurant, "Blu," also to be added to these two ships.

Public Rooms
The plans include moving the Martini Bar from deck four up to deck five, starboard, and giving the bartop surface the same unique layer of ice as on the Solstice ships. The current Champagne Bar on the port side of deck five will be replaced with Bistro on Five, the popular breakfast and lunch restaurant specializing in omelettes and crepes. Also on deck five the current specialty coffee house, Cova Cafe, will be remade as Café Al Bacio, as on the Solstice-class ships, with a gelateria to be added.

Deck five of the Millennium-class ships has something informally known as "the hole" looking down on the Rendezvous Lounge dance floor. The hole will be closed to allow more room for the new public rooms upstairs. Additionally, many of the current glass dividers will be removed to lend a more open look to the new public spaces.

One deck below, the current Martini Bar will be changed into Cellar Masters, the wine bar on the Solstice-class featuring special machines to dispense fine wines by the ounce. This extends the opportunity to taste rare and expensive vintages without paying for an entire bottle or even a full glass. Costs per ounce vary depending on the quaff and the dispensing machine keeps each bottle at exactly the right temperature. There will also be complimentary hors d'oeuvres to cleanse your palate and a sommelier on duty to sell you a glass or reserve a bottle of any special vintage you may discover.

Different popular restaurants will also come to the Millennium-class. Millennium is slated to get Qsine, originally introduced on Celebrity Eclipse and offering tapas-style food in family-sized portions with creative presentations. Infinity and Millennium will also get the restaurant Blu reserved for the Aqua-class residents.

All the ships will receive the Tuscan Grill, an Italian restaurant earning rave reviews on the Summit-class ships. On Celebrity Summit It will go into the top deck space that has served as the first conservatory for growing live plants on a cruise ship. That space will only be used for seating. The adjacent sports deck will be appropriated for the galley.

The main atrium, which features a spectacular onyx staircase, will receive new treatments such as white linen drapes. All four ships will receive new carpet throughout. Water facilities such as hot tubs will be replaced entirely with more efficient and hygienic equipment.

Other features to be added include the Celebrity iLounge featuring products from Apple Computers. This is a combination of an Apple Store along with an Internet lounge and an education center for special classes on using Apple products.